Stand on the balconies of Dufu Pavilion in the late afternoon and the Xiang River opens out below you, with Orange Island floating in the current and the city pressing in on both banks. That view is as good a first hour in Changsha as any.
Changsha suits travellers who care about Han dynasty tombs, bamboo slips and revolutionary history as much as they care about street food and river views. It is a city where a university campus, a 1,000-year-old academy and a museum holding a 2,100-year-old preserved body sit within a short ride of each other.
1. Hunan Provincial Museum
The main reason many visitors come to Changsha. The museum holds the Han era tomb of Xin Zui, the Marquess of Dai, and her 2,100-year-old preserved body, along with extensive Han dynasty artifacts including pottery, lacquerware and an impressive collection of silk.
Entry is free and on a first come, first serve basis, with a time stamped on your ticket showing when you may enter. Show up early in the morning if you want to get in right away, otherwise you may need to pick up a ticket and return a few hours later. Expect to be asked to leave about 20 minutes before closing.
2. Yuelu Academy
Established in 976, this was the centre of culture and learning in southern China and the spiritual predecessor to what is now Hunan University. The period architecture, courtyards, open classrooms, curved eaves and bamboo gardens make it worth a slow visit.
The Museum of Chinese Academies opens and shuts 30 minutes later than the other sights. Combine the academy with a wander around the Hunan University campus, where you will find plenty of places to eat.
3. Mawangdui Han Tombs
The site where the famous tombs were uncovered. Be aware that this is simply the ditch in which the tombs were found, and there are no artifacts present, as everything is now in the Hunan Provincial Museum.
Go with the right expectations and pair it with the provincial museum so the objects make sense. Entry is cheap and no entry is permitted after 16:15.
4. Changsha Bamboo Slips Museum
This museum contains ancient carved bamboo slips and a series of pottery artifacts. The building itself is architecturally interesting, with bamboo growing out of one side of it.
It sits next to Tianxin Pavilion, so the two work well as one outing. Entry is free with identification, and it is closed on Tuesdays and during Chinese New Year.
5. Tianxin Pavilion
The pavilion is the natural companion to the Bamboo Slips Museum, a short walk away. It anchors the Tianxin District sightseeing cluster and pairs with the museum for a half day.
Check the museum's Tuesday closure before you plan the pairing, since the two are best done together.
6. Dufu Pavilion
A pavilion housing a museum dedicated to the Chinese poet Dufu, with pictures and information on other famous Chinese poets. There is a tea house on the top floor, and the balconies give views over the river, the city and Orange Island when the weather allows.
All information is in Chinese, with no English. Go in the late afternoon for the light on the river, and note the seasonal closing times: summer until 18:00, winter until 17:30.
7. Hunan First Normal University
Founded in 1903 and built on the former site of an old Song Dynasty academy. Its best-known student was Mao Zedong, who studied here from 1913 to 1918, and later served as principal of the affiliated primary school from 1921 to 1923.
The old campus in Tianxin District features a museum about Mao Zedong. Entry is free, and it is closed on Mondays.
8. Jia Yi's Former Residence
A courtyard containing a number of carved slate tablets, worth a quick visit. It sits off Taiping Street, a pedestrian street selling traditional crafts, clothes and refreshments.
Entry is free with identification. Combine the residence with a walk along Taiping Street, and note the split opening hours and Monday closure.
9. Changsha Museum
The main exhibition hall is a large modern building inside Binjiang Culture Park, which is a nice park for a stroll. The other main sight here is the former site of the Hunan CCP committee, where the rooms where Mao lived are preserved.
Entry is free. It is closed on Mondays and during Chinese New Year, and no tickets are issued after 16:00.
10. Hunan University
One of China's oldest universities, with a large statue of Mao Zedong on the campus grounds. The area south of Yuelu Mountain around the various campuses has plenty of good places to eat.
Use the campus as the setting for your Yuelu Academy visit rather than a separate trip, since the academy sits on the main campus.
11. Hunan Embroidery Museum
Located on the second floor of a store selling high-quality embroidery, this museum covers the history of embroidery in Hunan, where special techniques were developed locally to achieve finer detail. At the end of the tour you can visit the workshop where new items are being embroidered.
The tour is free and there is no pressure to buy. Note the seasonal hours: summer until 17:00, winter until 16:30, weekdays only.
12. Longping Rice Museum
Founded in 2019 by the late Yuan Longping, the agronomist known as the 'Father of Hybrid Rice' for developing the first hybrid rice varieties in the 1970s. Exhibitions cover the history, culture and science of rice cultivation, plus an exhibition on Yuan Longping and his achievements.
Entry is free. It is closed on Mondays and no entry is allowed after 16:00.
13. Xie Zilong Photography Museum
A photography museum in Yuelu District, reachable from Yanghu Wetland Station on Metro Line 3. It is a good fit if you want a contemporary counterweight to the city's historical sights.
It is closed on Mondays except holidays, and opens later in the day than most museums here, from 10:00.
14. Hunan Science and Technology Museum
The museum consists of two buildings: Building A hosts the main exhibition halls, while Building B contains the children's wing. Entry to the main exhibition halls is free, and the children's wing is ¥15, except for children under 0.8 metres in height, who are admitted free.
It is closed Monday and Tuesday, and no entry is allowed in the last 20 minutes. The Geological Museum of Hunan is a short distance to the west, so the two can be paired.
15. The Geological Museum of Hunan
A geology museum in Tianxin District, a short distance west of the Hunan Science and Technology Museum. Foreign visitors should register at the enquiries desk before entering the exhibition halls.
Entry is free and it is closed on Mondays. Pair it with the science and technology museum, but check the days, since their closures differ.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start early at the Hunan Provincial Museum, where tickets are first come, first serve and a time stamp controls your entry. Arriving early is the difference between walking straight in and returning hours later. Give the Han dynasty galleries and the tomb of Xin Zui proper time.
Afternoon: Cross to the west side of the river for Yuelu Academy, then walk the Hunan University campus around it and eat in the student area south of Yuelu Mountain. If time remains, add the Changsha Bamboo Slips Museum next to Tianxin Pavilion.
Evening: Finish at Dufu Pavilion on the east bank of the river. Take the tea house on the top floor and step onto the balconies for the view over the river, the city and Orange Island. Check the seasonal closing time, 18:00 in summer and 17:30 in winter, and go before it shuts.
Which museums in Changsha are free?
The Hunan Provincial Museum, Changsha Museum, Changsha Bamboo Slips Museum, Hunan First Normal University, Jia Yi's Former Residence, Longping Rice Museum, Hunan Embroidery Museum, Hunan Science and Technology Museum and the Geological Museum of Hunan are all free. Dufu Pavilion charges ¥11, Yuelu Academy ¥40, Mawangdui Han Tombs ¥2, and the children's wing of the Hunan Science and Technology Museum ¥15.
Which days are the museums closed?
Closures vary, so check each one. The Changsha Bamboo Slips Museum, Changsha Museum, Hunan First Normal University, Jia Yi's Former Residence, Longping Rice Museum, Xie Zilong Photography Museum and the Geological Museum of Hunan close on Mondays. The Hunan Science and Technology Museum closes Monday and Tuesday. The Hunan Embroidery Museum is open weekdays only. Several museums also close during Chinese New Year.
Where can I see the artifacts from the Mawangdui Han Tombs?
At the Hunan Provincial Museum. The Mawangdui Han Tombs site itself is simply the ditch in which the tombs were uncovered, with no artifacts present, so plan the two together and see the objects at the museum.
What can I combine with a visit to Yuelu Academy?
Hunan University, whose main campus the academy sits on. The area south of Yuelu Mountain around the campuses has plenty of good places to eat, and there is a large statue of Mao Zedong on the campus grounds.
Pick your dates around the Monday closures, decide whether the Han tombs or the academy comes first, and start building your Changsha itinerary from there.